Fork lift type material handling machine with a laterally adjustable frame



y 8, 1965 R. G. LE TOURNEAU 3,184,089

FORK LIFT TYPE MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE WITH A LATERALLY ADJUSTABLEFRAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1962 Ri a /4i INVENTOR. fi0fiem @Z/ZZMWW/M BY May 18, 1965 R. G. LE TOURNEAU 3,

FORK LIFT TYPE MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE WITH A LATERALLY ADJUSTABLEFRAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1962 Y Wm. 14%; offzwwey UnitedStates Patent 3,184,039 FORK LIFT TYPE MATERTAL HANDLING MACH-WE WITH ALATERALLY ADJUSTA- BLE FRAME Robert G. LeTourneau, 1 .0. Box 2307,Longview, Tex. Filed June 1, 1962, Ser. No. 199,456 4 Claims. (Cl.214-730) My invention relates to improvements in fork lift type materialhandling machines and more particularly to heavy duty machines forloading, unloading and stacking materials, including logs, pipes, andthe like.

The material handling machine shown and described herein is generallysimilar to that disclosed by my copending application bearing Serial No.113,741, filed May 31, 1961, now abandoned, entitled Logging Equipment.The machine of the present invention, however, has several additionalimportant features and advantages not heretofore known.

It is generally recognized that the materials which are usually handledby heavy duty fork lift type machines are very heavy and are not easilymaneuvered. Oftentimes it is desirable and sometimes it is necessary tobe able to shift a load laterally to better distribute its weight on themachine, or to place it more advantageously on a truck or car. Aconsiderable saving in time and money can be realized if the load can bereadily shifted laterally as required. The lateral shift feature, itwill be recognized, obviates the need to maneuver the whole machine toraise and lower the load as many times as may be necessary to achieve amore suitable load position. However, the mechanism necessary to providelateral load shift on a heavy duty type machine can present diflicultproblems, particularly as to achieving the required load carryingcapability without undue cost and complexity.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention toprovide a heavy duty fork lift type machine incorporating improvedmechanism for moving the load laterally relative to the machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a heavy duty forklift type machine incorporating rugged, simple, economical and effectivemechanism for achieving desired lateral load shifting action.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparentfrom the following description taken in accordance with the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a heavy duty fork lift typematerial handling machine in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofmy invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the machine of FIG. 1 illustratingthe lateral shift feature of my invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the machine front axleshowing details of the lateral shift mechanism; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the axle andmechanism of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a heavyduty fork lift type material handling machine embodying the principlesof my invention. The machine includes a main frame 11, supported upon afront axle 13 on which there is mounted a pair of electric motor drivenwheels 15, and a single steerable rear wheel 17. The rear wheel is alsodriven by an electric motor (not shown). Steering is accomplished by anelectric motor driving a steering sector gear 19 through a gearreduction 21. A carriage rail structure 223 is pivoted at adjacent itslower end at the front end of the main frame 11. The rail structure 23is tiltable by means of a rack 27 driven by an electric motor 29. Theelectric motor 29 and rack guide 31 are mounted on a superstruc- "iceture 33 which is removably fixed to the main frame 11 and extends abovesame. A load support carriage 35 is arranged to ride up and down on thecarriage rail structure 23, with the carriage being lifted and supportedby a cable 37 which is driven and cont-rolled by an electric motordriven winch 39. The winch 39 is mounted on a platform (not shown)attached to the carriage rail structure 23 and extends rearwardlytherefrom. The carriage 35 is made up of a rectangular rigid box frame,the lower transverse member of which is provided with a laterallyextending box beam 41 on each side. Fixed to the free end of each boxbeam 41 is a fork or tine receiver shoe (not shown) which is adapted toremovably receive a fork or tine 43. A fork or tine 43 is mountedremovably in each shoe and extends forwardly of the carriage frame 35 tosupport the load which the machine is designed to handle.

Mounted at one side of the main frame 11 is an operators cab and controlstation 45. Adjacent the cab and disposed in a recess in the main frame11, there is provided an electric generator driven by an internalcombustion engine, both within an enclosure 47.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the front portion of the main frame 11 inassociation with the front axle 13. The

' main frame 11 is in the form of a long relatively wide and shallowreinforced beam. The top plate 49 of the beam extends forwardly over theaxle to merge with a downwardly and forwardly extending ball supportstructure S1 to which the lower end of the rail structure 23 ispivotally attached. The front axle 13 is made in the form of areinforced tubular box beam having a generally rectangular crosssection. A pair of bolt flanges 53 are fixed transversely of the ends ofthe axle 13. A plurality of heavy bars 55 are symmetrically arranged andaffixed to the upper surface of the top plate 57 of the axle 13 to forma carriage bed. The bars 55 are disposed in the longitudinal directionof the axle so that approximately one-half the width of the bar projectsbeyond the longitudinal edge of the top plate 57. There is provided,also, a length of rack 59 which is disposed in the longitudinaldirection of the axle 13 and which is afiixed also to the top surface ofthe top plate 57. Preferably the teeth of the rack face rearwardly.Associated with each of the bars 55, there is a plurality of rollers 61journalled in a heavy plate structure fixed to the main frame. A pair ofthe rollers 63 are disposed to rotate about substantialiy parallelhorizontal axes and to rollably engage the upper and lower surfaces ofthe respective bar 55. Another roller 65 is journalled in a heavy platestructure attached to the main frame. This roller 65 is disposed torotate about a vertical axis and in a horizontal plane so as to rollablyengage the unsupported vertical longitudinal surface of the respectivebar 55. The rollers may, of course, be supported in any suitablestructure which is rigidly affixed to the main frame 11. It isconvenient to arrange the rollers symmetrically about the axes of theaxles and the main frame to form a carriage, as indicated generally inFIG. 3.

The main frame 1:1 is provided with a recess or well 67 in the front endportion to receive a motor driven gear reduction 69. The gear reduction6% is suitably mounted on the main frame with its output pinion 7'1disposed to engage the aforementioned rack 59.

In operation, the machine is maneuvered into position to pick up a load.In the event the machine is not positioned to provide a reasonablebalance of load weight on the fork 43, as oftentimes happens, the railstructure 23 may be shifted sideways or laterally by actuating thepinion of the motor driven gear reduction 69 to engage the rack 59. Theentire main frame, rail structure, load support carriage and fork pivotsabout the rear wheel 17. Therefore, lateral movement to balance the loadon the fork 43 is'readily obtained. Similarly, when the machine ismaneuvered into position to unload and it is found that lateral movementof the load is desirable for :various reasons, the load may be shiftedsideways by actuating the motor driven gear reduction 69. In eithersituation, it is not necessary to maneuver the whole machine to a newposition, because the fork 43 may be shifted laterally, quickly andeasily.

The entire machine and all of its functions are electrically controlledfrom the control panel at the operators station 45. All of the motorsare preferably provided with electromagnetic friction brakes which areautomatically energized when the associated electric motor isde-energized.

It should be apparent from the foregoing that the present inventionprovides a simple, rugged, economical, and effective mechanism forachieving lateral shift action of the load support structure of a heavyduty fork lift type material handling machine. An important feature ofthe present invention is that the lateral shift mechanism involves'thesupporting of the entire machine front end on the machine front axle forlateral movement thereon. My invention is not restricted to the threewheel machine shown and described herein, but is also applicable to fourwheel machines having various types of wheel drives.

While I have shown my invention in only one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various changes and modifications without departing from the spiritthereof.

I claim:

1. In combination with a material handling machine of the fork lift typehaving a wheeled front axle, a main frame, and an elevatable loadsupporting structure at-' tached to said main frame at the forward endportion thereof; a plurality of bars fixed to said axle and symmetrically disposed extending longitudinally of said axle to form acarriage bed, a plurality of rollers journaled to said main frame andmaintaining rollable contiguity with each said bar so as to form acarriage, means for mounting said main frame adjacent its forward endportion on said carriage, a rack fixed to said axle and extendinglongitudinally thereof, and a motor driven gear reduction mounted onsaid main frame and having an output pinion engaging said rack.

2. In combination with a material handling machine of 45' the fork lifttype having a wheeled front axle, a main frame, and an elevatable loadsupporting structure attached to said main frame at the forward endportion thereof; a carriage bed fixed to said axle and extendinglongitudinally thereof, a carriage mounted on said bed for movementthereon, means for mounting said main frame adjacent its forward endportion on said carriage, a rack fixed to said axle and extendinglongitudinally thereof, and a motor driven gear reduction mounted onsaid main frame and having an output pinion engaging said rack.

3. In combination with a material handling machine of the fork lift typehaving a wheeled front axle, a main frame, and an elevatable loadsupporting structure attached to said main frame at the forward endportion thereof; a carriage mounted on said front axle for movementlongitudinally thereof, means for mounting said main frame adjacent itsforward end portion on said carriage, and powered means for moving saidcarriage on said axle.

4. In combination with a material handling machine of the fork lift typehaving a wheeled front axle, a main frame, and an elevatable loadsupporting structure attached to said main frame at the forward endportion thereof; means for supporting said main frame adjacent itsforward end portion on said axle for movement longitudinally of saidaxle; said supporting means including carriage means interposed betweensaid axle and said main frame; and means for moving said main framelongitudinally of said axle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 968,439 8/10 Wold37-157 1,697,285 1/29 Neigahbour 280103 1,844,133 2/ 32 Maniscalco et a11-8719 2,859,890 11/58 Renard 2 14-670 2,910,204 110/59 Wight 2147303,089,710 5/63 'Fiala 280-41121 FOREIGN PATENTS 750,793 6/ 56 GreatBritain.

' 838,0511 6/ 60 Great Britain. 1,229,113 9/60 France. 1,234,819 '10/60'France.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. MORRIS TEMIN, Examiner.

4. IN COMBINATION WITH A MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE OF THE FORK LIFT TYPEHAVING A WHEELED FRONT AXLE, A MAIN FRAME, AND AN ELEVATABLE LOADSUPPORTING STRUCTURE ATTACHED TO SAID MAIN FRAME AT THE FORWARD ENDPORTION THEREOF; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID MAIN FRAME ADJACENT ITSFORWARD END PORTION ON SAID AXLE FOR MOVEMENT LONGITUDINALLY OF SAIDAXLE; SAID SUPPORTING MEANS INCLUDING CARRIAGE MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEENSAID AXLE AND SAID MAIN FRAME; AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID MAIN FRAMELONGITUDINALLY OF SAID AXLE.